10.25.07
Patrick Macias, friend of OU! and editor of our country's best magazine dedicated to Japanese popular culture, Otaku USA, had a book published in Japan earlier this year titled Otaku in USA. The first chapter features stills from OU! as well as some comments from OU! director Eric B.. Pick it up if you like to read from right to left.

1.22.07
A quick update to let you know that the otaku continue to unite and, while this project has reached its completion, the website will surely remain. Feel free to use the resources found on these pages to continue our crusade, that's what this movie was all about in the first place.

A few quick recommendations for otaku:
Otaku In Love DVD (wacky live action film, love amongst manga artists)
Densha Otoko Volume 1 by Hitori Nakano and Wataru Watanabe (a shy anime lover learns how to date with the help of his online otaku brethren)
Train Man : Densha Otoko (cute live action version of the famous story above)
Otaku In USA by Patrick Macias (Japanese language, but we're told there's a picture of OU! in it)
Tales of Moonlight And Rain by Akinari Ueda (one of Japan's greatest literary works finally translated in its entirety)

To find out what OU! Director Eric Bresler is up to these days you can always visit his personal site: ericbresler.com

TOKYOnoRADIO.com is still in operation although updates are sporadic.

Thanks go out to everyone that helped support OU! throughout its four long years of production. Arigato.

6.17.06
So that whole CPM bankruptcy scare had us on the edge Memorial Day weekend, but everything worked out just fine (except for the employees, sorry to hear that guys). We'll be receiving the first DVD sales report in the near future, but early reports indicate that over two thirds of the print run have sold. This is fantastic news sales-wise, but with their financial troubles its unknown as to when CPM will get around to printing up another batch. So get your hands on a copy while you still can, Amazon sold out again this week and now has a 5-8 day waiting period. Try Best Buy ($14.99).

OU! DVD review: Ain't It Cool News

Check out the Cyzo (Japan) article on OU! below. The English translation that follows is courtesy of our dear friend in Japan, Yukari Shiina.

"Followers in the US": the enthusiasm of the US anime fans who follow Japan.

"Otaku Unite!" is a documentary film about the US anime fandom and has created a buzz in the US.

The film includes a variety of things from the interviews with the first generation of American
otaku who were fascinated by Japanese anime such as "Speed Racer" and "Battleship Yamato"
to enthusiastic fans who enjoy cosplay and yaoi. Although they are not so good-looking,
CNN reported that they are valued customers for the Japanese economy because they pay
$602.5 million annually for anime-related goods.

Eric Bresler (26-year-old) produced the film as well as directed and edited it. He likes Japanese pop music, but he doesn't want to be considered as otaku.

However, people appeared on this film proudly proclaim themselves 'otaku.' Eric said,
"The word 'otaku' is now as widely recognized in the US as 'trekker' and 'punks.'"

Over 20 anime conventions are held all over the US every year . The number of the attendees
reaches over a hundred thousand in total. In addition, Americans who were introduced to Japanese
culture through anime start to wear Japanese fashion (such as Ura-Harajuku style) , listen to
J-pop, eat Japanese snack, and hope to have a romantic relationship with a Japanese girl.

"American youth culture is all about something TV and radio have forced.
But otaku just discovered something interesting in Japan on their own," said Eric.

Now, do Japanese otaku hope to unite these American otaku?

4.26.06
Lawrence Eng, friend of OU! and one of our country's leading anime scholars, recently posted a review of the OU! DVD on his site. Read it here.

In case you were wondering, tomorrow is Director Eric B.'s birthday. He was recently called upon by Philadelphia's TLA Video to review the recently released Karas: The Prophecy DVD (2 stars). Check it out here.

Sometime this summer we'll receive the first wave of DVD sales reports. 5,000 copies of the DVD were printed for its first run, I'm hoping that half of those have sold in this first quarter. We have no idea when a second printing will occur so be sure to pick up the DVD while you still can.

Jonny Otaku checks in with some advice for a frustrated otaku from the UK.

4.02.06
Visitors from Japan take note: there will be an article on Otaku Unite! in the April 10 issue of Cyzo. We're unfamiliar with the magazine, but judging from their covers it looks like a perfect fit.

A new DVD review has been posted to TLA Video.com.

3.20.06
We're having a tough time keeping up with all of the DVD reviews, articles, and advertising. If you come across any media mentions of the Otaku Unite! DVD please lend a hand and forward your findings to info@otakuunite.com. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Once again, the Otaku Unite! DVD is ALL-REGION and seems to be selling well in Japan.

If you would like to hold a public screening of Otaku Unite! please contact CPM's Stephanie Shalofsky at sshalofsky@teamcpm.com.

3.09.06
Amazon.com sold out of copies of the Otaku Unite! DVD today, two short days after its release. So if you don't want to wait the 7 to 13 days for them to restock then visit any of the following retailers:
TowerRecords.com : $17.99
Barnes & Noble.com : $15.98
BestBuy.com : $14.99
Overstock.com : $12.85
DeepDiscountDVD.com : $10.78

3.08.06
The Otaku Unite! DVD has been officially released throughout the United States. You can find it in either the "anime" or the "documentary" section of your local DVD retailer. Best Buy reportedly has it under "anime", Tower Records has it under "documentary". Its worth the search either way.

Our new friends at TOONZONE.net have posted a fantastic interview with OU! Director Eric Bresler conducted at the NYCC.

An anime fan reviews the new DVD at blogcritics.org.

3.06.06
We are pleased to announce that the Otaku Unite! DVD is ALL-REGION so feel free to order the disc regardless of your location world-wide. Disregard the "Region 1" specification that some websites may display.

The Otaku Unite! DVD will be released in all major retail outlets throughout the United States tomorrow! This is the culmination of over five years of hard work, your support is greatly appreciated.

Japanese news outlets are discovering OU!, translate the following links and have fun with the broken English:
http://www.hotwirejapan.com
http://d.hatena.ne.jp/ceena/20060303

3.01.06
Otaku Unite! will be released on DVD throughout the United States on March 7, 2006 and throughout Canada on March 21 courtesy of Central Park Media. The DVD's special features include:
Director's Commentary
News coverage
Kaiju Big Battel commercials
Premiere coverage
Previews
+ a HUGE cosplay gallery

OU! DVD preview artwork:

Important links:
AnimeCons.com profile
Director Eric Bresler's professional website
Internet Movie Database listing
MySpace profile

Articles:
Delaware News Journal, October 14, 2005
Watertown Daily Times (NY), September 3, 2005
Nippop.com, September 3, 2005
UCLA Asia Institute Online, July 21, 2005
San Francisco Chronicle, July 7, 2005
Animefringe.com, March 2005
Philadelphia Film Festival 2005 Program Guide
AtAnime.com, September 2003
Anime Invasion, August 2002

We attended the massive New York Comic-Con this past weekend. Click here for pictures.

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